Date Night!
by hoodieme
Summary: Kano and Seto ask Kido and Marry out on a date (respectively) there is fluff n' stuff (emphasis on stuff). Rated T because I want it to be.
1. Chapter 1- Le Ship has Sailed

I just couldn't help it. I tried... I really did. But my inner fangirl screamed for more. Another KidoKano fic, yay. For those asking, this is completely unrelated to the other one. Erase it from your mind... I'm waiting... Is it gone? No? Oh... Well too bad.

Kido's POV:

"So...?"

I turn to see the idiot grinning wildly behind me. My eyes remaining blank as I glare into his catlike eyes.

"What do you want, Kano?"

A certain boy with a green hoodie came from behind him and elbows him in the arm playfully. Seto smirkes wildly. This was going to be bad... really bad. Kano shifts his golden eyes to Seto's face.

"C'mon, you lost the bet, so you ask first," Seto encourages. Shit, a bet? This WAS going to be bad. The narrow metal hallway was making me uncomfortable. Narrow hallways always have dead ends, meaning no escape.

Kano's eyes seductively glance to me. This was a usual for his playful demeanor. He takes a step closer, his boots give him a height advantage as he closes in a little too far for comfort.

"Kido-" he starts before Marry suddenly appears behind Seto and taps him on the shoulder. He half turns to face her. Kano looks behind at him. I can't see Kano's expression, but Seto responds with a shrug.

"I guess we can do this together," Seto sighs before turning back to Mary. "Marry-" he started, confusion gleams in her eyes upon wondering what she had just walked into.

They both continue in unison as Kano turns his attention back to me.

"Will you go out with me?"

"Will you go out with me?"

They had obviously rehearsed this, or maybe Seto just read his mind- wait did Kano just ask... me out?! I feel the red glow on my cheeks as I begin to blush. I turn my torso to look around the two boys who backs are practically against each other. She turns to look to me and shrugs.

I need to escape. Kano looks down to my tilted body as I stand strait to look in his golden eyes. He doesn't look like he is pulling a lie. My eyes glow red with my face as I try to disappear. I turn to run before a set of fingers reach out to catch my wrist. I freeze.

"Sure!" Marry agreed from her spot, ignoring my dilemma. I am pulled closer as he hugs my waist to prevent any escape on my part. I look over my shoulder as Marry and Seto turn to see what's going on.

"No."

His arms remain locked as I feel a smirk pull on the edges of his lips, the side of his face leaning on my head. I can hear his delightful sarcasm as he protests, "but Kido! Marry agreed. So why can't you? We had a double date planned and everything!"

Marry smiles back at me, "yeah leader, it'll be more fun with you!"

I can't resist those pleading eyes of hers. "Fine."

He loosens his grip and turns his head to mine. He brings his lips to my ears and whispers, "does this mean I get to make out with Kido now?"

Anger runs down my spine, setting me in motion. I drop down to the floor and balance my weight on my palms as I sweep kick him down. He crashes into the wall and slides down to the floor. He looks up to me with a full-fledged grin on his face.

"So, that's a yes?"

I kick him in the face as my answer. He looks up to me again as I huff and turn away.

"Yep, that's definitely a yes," he whispers when he thinks I'm out of earshot. Seto jogs to me as I advance up the hallway to tell me that he'll text me the details.

*later*

I sit in my room with a book in hand. I pretend to read it as I really think of the events earlier today. I vibration comes from the phone in my pocket. I reach down to it and pull it out. It's from Seto.

'Tonight, meet behind the alleyway two blocks down,' it read. The alleyway was one of our many common spots to meet (it was just near where I had confronted Momo to recruit her). It was 8 now. I pushed the buttons to respond.

'What time?'

I put it down to get another response in just seconds.

'10, wear whatever.'

Translation: 10:10 because Kano will be late by fifteen minutes. And just wear your hoodie.

A knock resonates through the room as Marry slowly creaks the door open. I look up at her. She hands me a brush.

"Can you braid my hair?"

I nod and motion for her to sit on the edge of the bed. She crosses her ankles as I kneel behind her. I start with a simple one down the side.

"Thank you, leader."

"Don't worry 'bout it," I respond. "And call me Kido."

"Okay, Kido."

I finish it off with a pink ribbon at the end. I also get out a few extra knots with the brush.

"Your turn, lea- I mean... Kido! We got to make you all pretty for Kano."

I accept as we trade positions. I kneel at the edge of my bed as she runs her delicate fingers through my green locks. She pulls my hair back behind my shoulders.

"What do you want me to do with it?" she asks.

I half turn my head to look at her. "Anything you want."

She giggles before diving in and starting to separate piece by piece. She leaves my bangs and two locks that go to the sides in front before starting. I feel her brush through my hair to pull it into a french-braid. There is silence for a bit.

"I can't believe those two actually asked us out," Marry starts.

I feel a red tint adorn my cheeks and let out a slight nod before I respond, "yeah, neither can I."

"What do you think they have planned?"

"Knowing Kano... It'll be interesting..."

"Aww! How cute, you're already warming up to him," she cheers. "Done!"

A ribbon finishes off the end of my braid as I reach my arm over my shoulder to feel the pattern go down my scalp and fall over my neck. I turn to smile at her, "thanks Marry!"

"Now we look pretty together!"

I let out a small smile in agreement as I turn to look at her face. "Seto will love your hair, Marry."

"And Kano will love yours, Kido."

We talk for awhile. I look to my phone to check the time: 9:30. "C'mon Marry, we should get going now."

*10:10*

My hood sticks to my neck as my red eyes glow in the dark of the alleyways. Marry follows closely behind. We are concealed to insure we won't be spotted by the other members. It just had to rain, though. It's just a drizzle, but someone who looks closely will see two silhouettes of non-existent rain. Mary is wearing Seto's white hoodie he gave her.

We halt in the alleyway the boys are to be in. To my surprise, they are both there. Kano is leaning against the pillar of the North wall, while Seto is on the South. We are still concealed, so we stop to lean on the West wall to listen to the conversation.

Kano tilts his head up to allow the rain to sprinkle on his face. His hood falls to his shoulders, revealing his golden hair. "Where are they, anyway? Are you sure you told them the right alley?"

"Yep, I told them the usual."

I turn off my eyes to reveal the two of us. I roll my eyes, "it's not nice to treat your dates like they're invisible-"

I am silenced as a pair of arms brace my entire body. Kano starts speaking in his sarcastic voice again, "oh Kido, my love! Wherever have you been, my darling?"

I stay silent.

"What is it dear? Are you sick?" He theatrically lifts his hand to his forehead. "Whatever will I do?!"

"You will shut up, idiot."

Marry and Seto watch while holding hands. Seto is holding back a laugh as Marry's giggle resonates through the alleyway.

Kano releases me and takes my hand, "you are too cute when you're angry, though~." We walk out of the alley, being lead by Seto. It isn't until now that I notice the plastic bag making a clinking sound clenched in his fist. Marry points to it.

"What's that for?"

I look to Kano's catlike eyes as they narrow, signifying he knows a secret. "You'll see, just wait until we get there."

"But what are we doing?" I ask.

Kano tilts his head to the sky and sighs, "too many questions. If we tell you everything it'll be no fun."

I accept his complaint and stay quiet. We weave through alleyways, climb fences, and jump rooftops to arrive at a blank brick wall. A wall this plain is pretty rare around here, usually the walls are covered in graffiti. Seto knells on the ground to open the bag. He gets out four spray paint cans. The moonlight shines against the wall brilliantly. This place must have taken forever to find.

I am handed a can. I read the color label printed on it. "Violet," I mutter.

Marry gasps in pleasure. "Pink, my favorite."

I look to Kano, wondering what color he has. He notices and holds the can to my face so I can read it. "Black," I read.

"What about you, Seto?" Marry asks.

He smiles and shakes his can to get it started, "green, of course."

We stand in a line facing the wall. Marry and I are in the middle, while Kano is to my left and Seto is to our right. We all flip our hoods up despite the rain being reduced to a sprinkle at best. "3... 2... 1... GO!"

A flurry of spray begings sticking to the wall. What to paint? What to paint? My hand instinctively moves to paint a sad face, something I like to doodle from time to time. I continue off the idea to give the disembodied head bat wings. Kano starts laughing his head off. I look over.

A giant monster adorns his part of the wall. Its mouth is open to make it look like it was eating my bat-face-sad thing. I let out a giggle.

Kano stops laughing, "whats that? Kido actually LAUGHED?! Why's that?"

"Maybe its because how bad it looks," Seto says as he finishes his work. Marry giggles from her spot as well. We continue to paint for awhile until the wall is filled with colorful scribbles. We pack up and continue to a nearby park. I've only hit Kano twelve times tonight. So yeah,it's been moderately fun.

Marry and Seto have a cute conversation while moving ahead of us. Marry shrieks and jolts forward. She is falling! Seto moves out to catch her just before her trip causes her to hit the pavement.

"Are you okay?" Seto practically yells.

She tries to stand, but her knees buckle and she falls to her knees.

"I- I think I twisted it. But I'll be fine- Ahh!" Marry squeals as Seto starts carrying her in his arms. Kano elbows me in the arm to capture my attention. He points to Seto and Marry.

"Do you want me to carry you too?"

"You wish."

"I do."

"Hmph..."

I cross my arms as our group continue down a sidewalk thats dimly lit. No wonder she tripped... There's rocks and edges everywhere!

"Oh, Kido, watch out. You don't wan't to trip!"

"Neither do you."

"So you're saying that if I trip and hurt myself, you'll carry me?"

"No, I'm saying you'd have to walk home with an injury that I won't heal for you."

"Aw, Kido I so mean!"

We arrive to the base. I part ways at the entrance. It's faster to just go through the window. I circle around the building and climb up the fire escape. I climb through a window. To my surprise, Kano is in my room.

"What do you want? How'd you get in my room so fast?"

"Naughty Kido, out so late... Sneaking in boy's rooms at night."

"This is my room."

He looks about the room. "Oh yeah, that explains why the wall color changed... And why the furniture is rearranged... And-"

"Why it's suddenly cleaner?"

"Yeah, that too! I guess this really is your room..." He turns to leave. I suddenly hear murmurs in the hallway before I quickly put my hand over his wrist to stop him from opening the door.

"Oh, so Kido wants me to stay in her room."

"Shut up and listen," I harshly whisper before putting my ear to the door. Silence. Kano wants to see whats going on and creaks to door open ever so slightly. I place my chin on his head while standing on my tip-toes to see. My eyes grow wide at the sight.

Marry and Seto are kissing in the hallway. I know I'm the leader and all and need to give them privacy, but I just can't... look... away. I feel Kano snicker under my chin. I suddenly notice my position with my arms being around his neck. He grabs the back of my legs to carry me piggy-back-style. I am startled as he straightens to lift me higher.

The two separate just as Kano and I (myself unwillingly) barge through the door. He began to run down the hallway laughing. I accept this little joyride of his... Until I realize where we're going. He stops at his doorway to turn the nob and enter.

"What are you doing?!"

"I thought you wanted me to go to my room?" Kano states innocently.

"I never said I wanted to go!" He skips through his room.

"So you wan't me to take me back to your room?"

"If you do, will you leave right after?"

"Nope."

"Fine, just put me down-" just as I finish the sentence, he turns his back to the bed and plops me on top. I immediately go under the covers and face the wall. He gets in next to me.

I feel breath against my ear as he whispers, "you know... You could have asked for me to put you down so you could walk to your room..."

I blush at the realization that that would've been the easiest option... Oh well, too late now.


	2. Chapter 2- Kano's Theory of Happiness

Chapter 2

*Still Kido's POV*

What the hell did I get myself into? I think to myself as I stare at this wall. I suddenly feel the weight shift off the bed. I don't want to face him because I don't want for him to see my fear-stricken face (likely more red than that of the shade-of-a-hero Ayano used tell us about).

"Kido, are you okay?"

I finally decide to sit up and face him. "Hmm...?"

For a quick second I can see through the darkness his face; hitting a realization. Then I see a red flicker in his eyes, covering it up. What is he thinking?

"It's just that you're acting really weird. You're not asking questions or anything! Do you even want to know why you're here?" He asks through the darkness.

"Enlighten me," I start. "Why am I here?"

"Well, Tsubomi-chan, I require your assistance."

"I'm listening..."

"First, pinkie-swear that you'll listen all the way through."

"I'm not going to touch your pinkie!"

"Shh, Tsubomi!" He barely stays in a whisper. "Someone might hear and get the wrong idea."

This is already a bad enough situation, I don't need the whole Dan to know. "Fine..."

I stick out a fist and raise a finger... No not THAT finger! I mean my smallest one. He sticks his out as well and we shake our hands in unison as we both whisper, "pinkie swear."

He sits next to me. I grab a pillow and hug it close to my body; cross legged on the bed. He takes a deep breath and starts.

"YourememberwhenSetomentionedthatbetearliertoday?Yeah,youdo? , ?Thanks."

"Wait wait wait. Kano, you are speaking to fast. And did I hear something about being a woman?"

"Yes, I need to embrace my womanhood."

"Can you explain why?"

"Basically, the second part of the bet was that the loser had to be in that one-man play at that place. Except the one-man play was starring a woman. So I must be a woman."

"Wait, what place?"

"The place with the oranges."

I turn my head and give him a confused look.

"And the fireman pandas dressed like clowns," he explains.

"Oh. THAT place."

"Yeah," he awkwardly mumbles. There remains a pause. "So can you help me?"

'Well, this situation certainly turned itself around' I think to myself. "What do you mean by 'help'?"

"Don't you have a frilly skirt somewhere?"

"I burned it," I plainly state. I hope he doesn't notice that little lie. I'm too scared to go anywhere near fire.

"Then I'm going to need your help to find one."

"How so?" I ask. I suddenly realize that my fists are crushing his pillow. I loosen my grip.

"Shintaro is my skirt size. I need you to steal it for me."

"I'm just... Not going to ask about that one. Is that really the only reason you dragged me in here?"

"I also need to know what a woman looks like."

I quickly rise, throwing the pillow on the ground. "Nope! Not doing that!"

"But, Tsubomi-chan! It's okay to do that kind of stuff now. We're in loooove." My eyes are adjusted to the darkness enough now that I can see him theatrically raise his arms... Red eyes not included.

I promptly disappear and head for the door... Which is closed... Which means I can't open it without him seeing. How about the window? It's summer after all, he always keeps it open in the summer... I turn my head to see that it's closed as well. He planned for me to disappear. I try to take another step to just go through the door. But as my foot hits the ground hitting the paper beneath it... making noise. His eyes close to the sound, his arms still risen.

A single eye of his opens to see that I've deactivated. A smirk forms on his lips before I turn away and go through the door. I check the hallway before proceeding.

It's vacant. With the exception of a single light illuminating from the kitchen; surely Konoha rummaging through the fridge again.

I turn to see his face once again... He almost looks hurt through that mask of his... And then I proceed to Shintaro's room.

It is at this point that I realize that it's almost 2 in the morning upon glimpsing on the digital clock on the microwave in the kitchen. I am invisible right now, but Konoha's fridge raid wouldn't slow regardless of how translucent I was.

To my luck, Shintaro's bedroom door was already open. I tiptoe through to see him typing away, obviously not paying attention to the outside world. Ene in mute, so she couldn't warn him of my presence if she saw something.

I make my way to the door, skirt in hand (me and it both invisible). But then a complication arises. I hear soft, running footsteps scatter the hall as a not-so-inconspicuous girl bursts through. I dodge, just in time to not be hit. Momo manages the attention of Shintaro right before slamming the door behind her.

They begin to argue over something likely petty. Both his and her voice trembling through the house.

"Again?"

"Yeah, again!"

"Why do you have to come down here every night? I'm trying to work!"

Every night? This makes me wonder how much sleep the dan actually gets...

"But you didn't brush your teeth!"

Some more fighting goes down before Shintaro shoved the orange-haired girl out of the room.

I steak out before he slams the door behind her; still having the skirt in hand and still invisible.

I make it back down to Kano's room by 2:15, though I don't really want to experience my last mistake all over again.

I creak open the door to find him laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, hands behind his head, and legs crossed.

It's been late, so I don't care whether or not he hears me step on the papers.

I hang the skirt on the back of a chair. Letting it appear in front of him, signaling that I've completed the mission.

"Break a leg, up there..." I harshly warn him.

"And if I don't, you'll break it for me, right?"

"Tsk!" I release and escape back to my own room for once. It's been a long night.


	3. Chapter 3- Ohh! Liquids!

Chapter 3

My eyes lazily open as I drift back to consciousness, only to feel a drop of liquid hit my cheek. My eyes snap open, scanning the room. That's when I notice the wide open window. I forgot to close it as I came in. It is raining the rain and wind are rushing through into my room.

I struggle my body out of bed. Only to fall down on my way. I look down to see the water covered floor... But not just near the window.

I shut the window, though that didn't help much. The ceiling was dripping too. That must have been why I was hit with water despite being across the room and in a fetal position... Don't judge, I just like being curled into a ball and screwing my back over each night... I'm not insecure at all! I swear!

My door opens as my eyes remain fixated on the wall. And through instinct, I turn my eyes on in response to the loud noise.

Momo and Seto are revealed to have worried faces as they quickly scan the room.

"Sh- She's not in here either, Momo," Seto shakily states.

Oh yeah, I forgot... They can't see me.

"I'm here..."

"Danchou!" Momo yells before running, but only to slip and fall on her back. Seto urgently walks (trying not to meet the same fate) to get to her. "The rest of the base isn't as slippery as this!"

Seto chuckles, "sure it isn't." He then proceeds to help the idol up.

"No... She's correct, I wipe the floors down weekly... But I make sure not to damage the floor..." I look down to the floor. "Speaking of which, I think I'm two days late this week. So this much water is worth it's due."

"Kido, we don't have time to ramble!" Momo complains.

I take this opportunity to sit back on the bed, roll the other pant leg up, and take off my socks. "Why not?" I continue to dig in my closet for my giant bucket filled with smaller buckets.

"The place is covered in water! It's flooding!"

It's a good thing that I don't have anything in the room that will be soaked because it's touching the floor. My shelves are fairly raised as well, and they don't have anything too important on them. But it isn't until now that it hits me. Everyone else's rooms are terribly filthy. I set the bucket of buckets in the middle of the room.

"How bad are the other rooms?"

"We couldn't muster the courage to look," Seto explains.

"Wait here."

I run out and quickly scan a room or two. It'll be hard to clean up, but the worst of the storm is likely over. The base will definitely not flood. I peek into the living room to see that the power's out, but Hibya is sitting calmly on the table top and Marry standing not to far away. She was holding a box filled with books to entertain the both of them.

"Danchou!" He yells.

"Hmm?"

"The old hag and Seto are looking for you."

"They already found me."

He closes his eyes in concentration, "they're looking again."

"Hmm..." What could they need now? "I'll be sure to get to that soon... Do you know the condition of the house?"

"It'll be fine," he states after opening them to reveal crimson eyes.

" They were scared of the water though," Marry says as she turns to look at me as I stand in the dark hallway.

I can't blame them, all of us have our fears. I know that if the power stays out until night, that we'll need to find the candles. And the smallest flame even scares me. Oh well.

"Good job, Hibya. You're already showing improvement! Remember to keep practicing your eye ability," I assure him.

He nods, "Y-Yes, Danchou!"

I smile before I turn back to where I saw them last.

A door to a certain blonde's room opens as I walk by. He stands in the doorway, stretching his arms up just short of the header.

"'Morning, Kido," he yawns before a drop hits him square in the forehead. He looks up to see the leaking roof. "Hey, the house is leaking," he informs.

"And the power is out," I coldly state.

"Eh?" He checks by trying to flip a light switch. "Oh yeah! Look at that!"

I grab a hold of his wrist that's still flipping the switch on and off, as if he's actually expecting for it to work anytime soon. And I begin to tow him down the hallway.

"Hmm? Kido, where are we going?"

"You are going to make yourself useful."

"But, Kidoooo~ I don't wanna," he protests as I continue to drag him.

"Well, you're going to!"

"Humph..." Kano pouts.

We turn through my doorway to see Momo and Seto standing atop the bed.

"Seto! It's coming closer!" Momo cries.

"We really are going to die like this again, aren't we?!" Seto yelps.

"Why didn't Kido ever come back?" Momo panics.

The only difference with the room from when I left is that the water is moderately closer to the bed. They were probably freaking out over nothing once again. We continue into the room; Kano's wrist now free. "Kido has come back for us, Momo!" Seto shakes her back into reality. Momo looks back up at me.

"Kido! Why would you tell us to stay here! Even with such treacherous seas," the Kisaragi sibling complains.

I grab the bucket filled with buckets off the floor, and start placing some under the leaks as Kano climbs up and stands on the bed with the other two.

He makes a pretend telescope with his hands and scans the room. "Arrg! There be no land in sight! But what's this? A sea monster of seaweed hair! Load the cannons!" His pirate impression already getting terribly annoying.

"Don't tease them," I scold. I see if I have extra towels in my closet... I see two and start taking them out.

I hear Kano shifting about. "Alright, alright!" He moves behind Momo. "After you, milady."

I hear her voice directed to Seto, "together?"

"Yes, we can do this," he enthusiastically responds.

"One..."

"Two.."

"Three!"

I heard them both slowly step down and make it to the door. I finally got what I needed while keeping the closet in order. I turn to see Kano making his way down a little too quickly... And then I hear a thud.

I walk towards him, "you okay?"

He props himself up with an arm, "yeah..." He turns his face up to look at me, "perfectly fine.

I set down the buckets by my side and extend my arm, "good, because you aren't allowed to break you leg quite yet, however eager you may be."

He smirks and takes my hand as I hoist him up to a standing position. I'm almost positive that he is lying. Just to be safe, instead of handing him the heavier buckets, I give him the towels to hold as I place the remaining buckets that aren't already scattered under leaks to collect water on top of my bed.

I turn back to take one of the towels and throw it to the floor. I turn to the two still standing just outside the door. "Can you two get the towels from the bathroom? Get as many as you can into a laundry basket and bring them back here.

"Yes, Danchou!" Momo and Seto say in unison before running off.

I start rubbing the towel around with my bare foot, attempting to dry the floor off. Kano drops his towel and does the same.

It is at this point that I notice that he isn't wearing his usual boots to make himself taller, and that his leans have been rolled up this whole time as well.

"So how bad is you're room?"

"What are you talking about? You saw it yesterday!" Kano whines.

"No, I mean how bad is the leaking?"

"I had just woken up," he states, raising his hands innocently; eyes closed... "I didn't know that the base was leaking." He smirks, thinking that he's shaken me off.

I am faster than him.. Maybe I could...

I turned on my eyes and started running. He surely knew where I was going, but I was faster, especially barefoot. I made it to his open door and pivoted in. I saw a freshly cleaned floor... That wasn't there yesterday... And I saw the occasional jar that water was dripping into about the room. Now way they would hold a day of water in them. I turned to a garbage bin filled with wet paper. Surely the stuff he uses to hear where I am.

I look back to the door to see that he isn't following me. I run back to my room. He was still there, probably waiting for me to scold him when I got back for not telling me about the leaking. I picked up the two or three buckets I would need for his room.

He looked up, confused. Rushing back to his room, buckets in hand, I continued in. This made me wonder; why am I always bringing things to his room for him recently? I let the thought slip away as I place the buckets where the jars were and I put their water inside.

I then go back to help him finish up my room. By the time I'm back in there he had already dried the floor.

"Good job," I start.

"Why did you-"

"Hmm..?"

"You didn't hit me for lying."

"Your room was already taken care of. Even dried... That's better than mine is, so I just put buckets in there instead of jars so you won't have to go in there as often."

"But you're not angry? About me lying?"

He really thinks that I don't know about the other lies? He should really stop trying to carry everything on his own shoulders all of the time. I kick the leg he likely bruised, "you've told worse."

I instantly saw why he wears long sleeves and boots all of the time. As his lie flash away to the pain, I see the bruise on his leg. It isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be (definitely not worth lying about), but what concerned me was the other scars that dotted his lower leg from past scraps.

He sees the pitiful look on my face as I process the small glimpse that I got.

"No, I'm not mad at you for lying about your room."

It was awkward for a bit...


	4. Chapter 4-Shintaro's Soda Porn Adventure

Chapter 4

I sit in the main room with the others. Making food for everyone was difficult with the power out, but I am thankful that Konoha decided to have that fridge-raid late last night, because there was nothing in the fridge that might spoil. I'm sure that Shintaro had almost had a heart attack when he found out about the base flooding... considering he spends a majority of his time in that computer-filled room of his; but his room looks like it doesn't have too much water in it, so he calmed down. The Dan has managed to get buckets under the leaks. And they shouldn't fill for a while now. We eat dry cereal for breakfast, because that's what we would probably eat regardless of the base's out-gushing.

The only one not eating with us is Marry, who ran off during the confusion. But her presence is obvious, considering the soft footsteps of bare feet that can be heard about the hallways. The steps pick up their pace... and then faster...and closer...and faster...and closer...

A door slams open, and within the doorway, a white-haired, pink-eyed, barefoot, snake-girl appears.

...and then my eyes shift down to what's residing in her dainty arms. Plastic?

"Marry," Hibya starts, "Why do you have a kiddie pool with you?" He points at the small plastic pool meant for small children. In anyone else's hands, the little thing would easily be held with only one arm. But with her small frame, she still struggles to hold on to it with two.

"Why do you even own a kiddie pool?" Kano asks before laughing wildly like a hyena; a mistake on his part, for he was quickly frozen by her glowing red eyes.

"Isn't it obvious?" Marry asks, "we are going to put the water from the buckets in here!"

"Why?" I ask.

"Because this is what they did in that picture book!" We all have confused looks plastered on our faces. She points to Shintaro, "he knows what I'm talking about! Shitaro-kun was the one who left it in the couch cushions! It had pictures of those girls in the swimsuits sitting in the little pool! They were smiling and having fun and everything!"

It wasn't long before a grunt is heard from Momo's general direction. "Onee-chan... You were reading those magazines again..."

"M-Momo! Y-You don't have to do this!" He flinches as he defensively place his hands in the air... It isn't long before the feebly struggling Shintaro is tied to a chair in the corner, facing the wall... with handcuffs... and tape over his mouth... and a paper bag over his head... and no pants (which was Ene's idea). I wonder where she got the handcuffs though... especially after I confiscated her old ones.

She faces me to ask a question, "hey, Gumi- ermm I mean Kido...?"

"Who's Gumi?" I ask.

"Nobody, my mind was just wandering again," she explains.

"Oh... okay... continue, Rin- uhmm... Kisaragi.

"Hmm... I didn't catch that. Can you repeat?" Momo asks.

"You were asking a question...?" I remind her.

"Oh yeah!" Momo starts "I was going to ask where Oliver- eh...Hibya went."

Marry looks up from the half- blown up piece of plastic now curled in a heap on the floor. She probably couldn't bother to find a pump, so she's blowing in air with her mouth. Seto is helping with a separate valve, probably knowing that poor little Marry will pass out if she tried doing the whole thing by herself. T'is truly a test of friendship. "I told him and Yuma to go get the buckets filled with water and bring them back here to fill the pool!"

"ohh ia!?" Shintaro mumbles through the tape.

"What did he say?" I ask, pointing to Shintaro.

Seto looks up, "I think he said 'Yuma?'."

"Is that what I said?" Marry asks, "how forgetful of me, I meant Konoha."

I look to where Kano sits with a bowl of dry cereal still on his lap, trying to hold in a laugh for whatever reason, tears budding at the eyes. Whatever it is, he thinks it's really funny... I wonder what it is...

* * *

No one had the heart to tell Marry that she shouldn't take notes from the girls in Shintaro's porn magazine, so we just let her do whatever. There is now a small kiddie pool half-filled with water in the center of the main room. At least it gives us a place to put the water from filled buckets, so I won't complain too much about it. Poor Momo and Seto are too petrified to get near the pool. I seriously don't know how those two function in society.

"Kiiiiidooooooooooo," Kano moans from across the room.

"What?" I sharply respond.

"We're hungry," Konoha said. "Make us food."

I sigh, "...fine. What do you want?"

"Food," Kano says.

"What kind of food?"

"The edible kind, of course."

"Any specific kind of edible food?"

He takes a second to think before shrugging and giving me that 'I dunno' kind of look. I roll my eyes.

"Come into the kitchen and find something, then."

"Okay, danchou!" Kano gleefully agrees.

He beats me to the kitchen door and holds it open, "after you, milady!"

I roll my eyes again before entering. He follows after me and heads toward the cupboard, opening its door. He pulls out a box of the noodles in a box that you boil, turns around, holds it up, and points to it, raising a brow.

"No power means no oven. Which means no pasta," I tell him.

He shrugs his shoulders and turns back around. "Are there any leftovers?"

"If there were, Konoha ate them."

"Hmmm... What if we-!"

"We aren't going to eat pockey for dinner."

"Darnnit, I was really excited for it too!"

I notice a can or two peeking over the very top shelf. I wave Kano aside to get to the cupboard and stretch to reach the cans but can't quite get there. As I am about to give up, I feel as if I am getting taller. I can suddenly reach with ease! I then realize that my feet aren't touching the ground and that my weight seems to be supported by two hands holding me up by the waist. I gather nine cans before I am lifted down to my feet.

I turn around and smile at the blonde who lifted me before I mumble a brief 'thanks'.

"Aww! Dancho is smiling!" Kano cheers.

"That's for helping me up," I state before lightly slapping him in the side of the face.

"Ow! What was that for, Kido?"

"THAT was for lifting me up without my consent."

* * *

The items from the shelf were just canned fruit, but hey, they were enough to feed everyone, and we didn't need the oven to make is helpful that Hibya knows how to prepare food, afterall.


End file.
